The Pursuit of Happiness
by Travon203
Summary: Four years after JJ had Henry, Will comes into town, wanting to reconnect with her but finds out the real reason she broke up with him.(JJ/Will) Sort of AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hi everyone, I am a huge Willifer fan and this is my first Criminal Minds fanfic. I hope you enjoy and please review. Thanks!

* * *

Her alarm on her phone rang promptly at 7:30am as she flipped onto her back and sighed out in frustration, "Five more minutes. Ugghh." In that moment, Henry ran into her room and jumped on top of the bed to lay with her.

"Mommy!"

"Good morning, sweetheart."

"Mommy, is it time yet?" the little boy asked. JJ had promised him a weekend at Disney World in Florida since it's been awhile since they had a mother-son trip together. She cleared it with Hotch last week. They had packed the night before after she got home from work, exhausted after chasing another serial killer. This time she was in Portland, Oregon for five days. The unsub was a woman targeting men that reminded her of her abusive father and brother.

"Henry, why don't you go get ready and we'll head to the airport? Our flight leaves in an hour," she said. Henry ran back to his room while JJ got up from her bed and grabbed some clothes for a quick shower. Normally, she wouldn't have woken up so early but ever since she had Henry, she had to plan things accordingly.

Ten minutes later, JJ came out of the shower and saw Henry in his room, playing with his toys and not dressed yet.

"Henry, I said to go get ready. We're going to be late."

"But I am ready, Mommy."

"What about pants? Or socks?" she said. "C'mon, sweetheart. We have to go soon." He put on a pair of pants and socks as she grabbed both of their suitcases and handed him his backpack as they headed for the front door. Henry especially enjoyed carrying his backpack with him since he felt like a grown up. JJ grabbed her keys and opened the door to let Henry walk out first so she could lock her door. But when she locked her door, her jaw opened wide when she saw who was standing at her front door.

"Will."


	2. Chapter 2

After four years, Will still could not get over JJ. They had been dating for almost a year and out of nowhere, she broke up with him. No note or message explaining why she had left. Over the course of the four years following their breakup, he had his fair share of women but none could have ever compared to her. She was the one. He knew it the second he met her at the crime scene in New Orleans. He still loved her after all this time and that was what pushed him into making the impromptu move to DC. He gave up his shield in New Orleans and found a one-bedroom that was in his price range. He practiced for two weeks what he was going to say to win her back before he stood right in front of her apartment at 8am.

* * *

JJ was still in shock after seeing someone who she had not seen in five years. She noticed how his skin was a shade darker, probably from spending too much time in the hot Louisiana sun. She glanced at the dark bags underneath his eyes and stubble growing on the bottom half of his face. He looked like he had not slept in awhile. After snapping back into reality, her mind immediately raced to the question as to why he was here. If Henry was placed next to Will, everyone would have known that he was the father. She had never told anyone who the father was and while the team suspected Will, they never asked her, but remain supportive of her role as a single parent. Reid would offer to watch Henry while JJ, Emily, and Garcia would have a girls' night out.

"Will. What are you doing here?" she asked.

Will noticed the boy standing next to her and the packed bags. He cleared his throat before replying, "I, uhh, just moved to DC and I wanted to see if we could catch up over a cup of coffee or maybe something stronger."

Henry was tugging at her pants and she realized that they would have to leave right now if they were going to catch their flight. "I'm really sorry, but we have a flight to catch. We can talk when I get back."

JJ grabbed Henry's hand and quickly walked past him. They stepped onto the elevator and left for the airport, leaving Will dumbfounded as to what just happened. He was hoping that their conversation would end with the possibility with them becoming friends and then gradually moving into a relationship, not her walking away, much less with a kid. Speaking of which, the boy looked like he couldn't have looked much older than four or five years old. And if he did the math correctly, he could have been Will's son. But JJ wouldn't do that to him, would she? Not being a part of his son's life would have been unforgivable.

* * *

During the entire flight to Florida, all JJ could think about was Will. Why now? Why wait five years to come back into her life, just when things were finally stable and good for her and Henry? Of course, she still had feelings for him, but if he were to ever know the truth then who knows what would have happened? She was afraid of telling him at the time because she didn't know how he really felt about her. And adding a baby into the mix would have made him stay with her out of obligation and she didn't want that. She looked over at Henry, who fell asleep after playing with his toys and eating his snacks that she had packed for him. The guilt she felt as Henry got older and started to ask more questions about his father built up over the years. It was hard to explain to a four-year-old why he didn't have a dad but so many uncles.

Nevertheless, she tried her best to put this aside until they came back. Right now, she needed to enjoy the quality time she had with her son. So for the next two days, she had to smile through multiple Disney characters and go on the kiddy rides with her son. Each night would end the same way, with her carrying her exhausted son to their hotel room after a day of sugar and excitement. JJ hoped to have more of these vacations where it was just the two of them, but it was contingent on her job.

"Did you have fun, Henry?"

"Yes! Can we go again?"

JJ laughed before replying, "Soon, okay buddy? Mommy has to go back to work and you have to go back to school."

"Aww."

"Don't worry. I promise we'll go again soon."

They headed back home where JJ dreaded her possibly life or death conversation with Will. He had texted her the night before.

_'Hey, when will you be back?'_

_'Tomorrow morning.'_

_'Need a ride home?'_

_'No, it's alright. We'll take a cab home.'_

She was not ready to see him again. She had only saw him for three minutes before she freaked out and left him standing in front of her door.

* * *

Will could not wait any longer. He needed to know if he had a son. He texted her but didn't want to scare her away about his potential son. Will didn't even know his name. So, the night after JJ came back from her trip, he walked to her doorstep again and knocked on her door.

"Will. You're here," she said taken aback.

"Yeah, I hope this is a good time."

She wanted to say no, but instead she said, "Come on in. Would you like some coffee or a water?"

"No, I'm good."

They sat on her couch in awkward silence before Will started the conversation, "So you have a son?"

"Yeah, Henry. He's such a great kid," she said with admiration of her son. Will smiled, learning the boy's name. His grandfather's name was also Henry.

"That's great. So it's just the two of you?"

"Yep, just us two. But we manage with the help of his nanny, Natalie."

"Oh. Is he in preschool right now?"

"Yep."

"Oh wow. One more question, okay? Is Henry my son?"


	3. Chapter 3

JJ was not expecting the question to hit her as hard as it did. She was looking down at her hands when he asked if Henry was his son. She looked up and his eyes were longing for the answer that could have changed his life. She currently had two options, tell him the truth or lie. Either way, he would never forgive her.

She took a deep breath before answering him, "No, he's not."

Will's face fell and disappointment was shown all over him. "Then, whose is he? Because he was born about nine months after we broke up. Unless... Were you sleeping with another guy while we were dating?"

JJ did not appreciate the accusation being thrown in her face, but it gave her a way out. "I'm sorry, Will."

"Jesus, JJ. How could you do this to me?" he said, standing up from the couch.

"Please keep your voice down. Henry is sleeping down the hall," she hushed.

Will scoffed, "I can't believe this. And to think, I moved up here to be with you again." He walked towards the door.

"What? What did you just say?" she asked. "Will, come back here."

"Yes, JJ. I moved back here to see if we could have a second chance again. But not anymore."

JJ stood in the middle of her apartment, barely holding herself together. Tears arose and magically left her eyes and slid down to her nose. She couldn't believe how he was willing to give his life in New Orleans for her. She never asked him to, not even before when they were dating. She walked towards Henry's room and opened the door, seeing the toddler fast asleep in his space-themed bed sheets. She gave him a kiss before closing the door and immediately grabbing a bottle of scotch she kept hidden in the back of the cupboards of her kitchen. She set out a glass and drank, numbing herself into a solution.

* * *

Will was more than upset. His anger was bubbling in the pit of stomach and releasing in the form of punching the steering wheel of his car. How could JJ cheat on him? And then have a kid? But he was sure that part wasn't on purpose. He drove to the nearest bar to also drown his hurt in a nice pitcher of beer. A few women were bold enough to come up to him for a possible midnight rendezvous, but he was far too distracted to pay them any attention.

* * *

JJ woke up with a slight hangover, glancing at the time on her phone. It was 7:50am. "Oh shit. Damn it." She had to be in early today for a meeting with Hotch and Strauss. She hopped out of bed, getting dressed quickly and then going over to Henry's room to wake him up. She opened the door and saw that he was not on his bed. Panic and fear immediately took over her fears. Did one of the serial killers decide to target her? Could she have drank that much that she didn't notice a serial killer entering her home? She ran out to the living room and relief fell onto her face. The little boy was on the couch watching TV and eating a cookie.

"Henry, you know you're not supposed to have sweets this early."

"Sorry Momma."

"Go get dressed, sweetie. We have to go soon."

"Okay."

Henry left the living room, covered in crumbs while JJ held her face in her hands. Her job was not the most ideal or safest job and often times it always came down to her job and her son. She wished she had more time for her son and be there for school plays or help him out with his class projects. But she loved her job and being able to help people.

They left twenty minutes, with her barely making it on time for her meeting. She entered Strauss' office, feeling the tension between Hotch and Strauss.

"Sorry, I'm late," she said taking a seat in the chair adjacent to Hotch.

"No worries. We were just about to start," the older woman said. "The reason that I've asked both of you here today is that JJ has been offered a job with the DOD. Technically, more of a promotion. You would work normal hours and have weekends off to spend time with your family."

JJ taken aback and hesitated to speak for a second, "Umm, that's really flattering but no thank you. I already have a job here. I belong here."

Hotch then piped up, "Are you sure, JJ? This seems like a really great opportunity."

"I'm sure. So please tell them I'm not interested," JJ said. "Are we done?"

Strauss glared at JJ, not pleased with her answer, "Yes, we're done."

JJ stood up and left her office, leaving them to continue discussing her job opportunity. Normally, she would have jumped at the opportunity to have more time with her son, but she didn't want to go to the DOD to have a boring desk job. She had worked too hard to get to where she is today. She continued on with her day, overhydrating herself to get rid of her hangover. She kept checking her messages to see if Will had contacted her. She desperately wanted to talk to him, but what would she say? What could she say that wouldn't reveal the truth and not hurt him at the same time?

* * *

Will took a few personal days off and went back down to New Orleans to be around his people again. It had only been a few weeks in DC, but everything had seemed so dull and boring. In New Orleans, something exotic and exciting was always happening. He needed some time off to wrap his mind around the one person he'd never thought would do this to him. All these years of him thinking what his life would have been if he had fought for them now vanished with ideas of betrayal and anger. So it only begs the question. Does he still want to be with her?

* * *

**A/N:** Hi everyone. So as you can see, I borrowed scenes from 6x02 "JJ" when she was offered the Pentagon job, but don't worry, this isn't heading where you think it is. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review. Thanks! (Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its' characters. This goes for the previous two chapters.)


	4. Chapter 4

For the next few weeks, both JJ and Will were anything but themselves. Will became less inclined to hang out with the boys after the work. His best friend and partner, Detective Charlie Luvet, knew some parts of the situation but not all. He knew that Will met a girl a few years back on a case he was working on with the FBI. Will had told him how much he liked her and that he would wait for the weekends to come by quick so he could spend every second with her. Then all of the sudden, Charlie saw the excitement disappear from his friend's face and watched him torture himself as to why his girl would break up with him. A few months ago, he told Charlie that he was going to move to DC to try to get her back.

_"Are you sure, Will?"_

_"Of course, I'm sure. I've never been surer of anything else in my life."_

_"What happens if she doesn't take you back? Or she's married and has a family?" Charlie said. "You can't just all of a sudden move. This could blow up in your face."_

_"I know, but I gotta take the chance. Love is a risk after all."_

It was Sunday night and Charlie was having his weekly phone call with Will to check in on each other.

"So, how'd it go? Happily ever after?"

After a short pause, Will answered, "She's got a kid."

"Oh, man. Will, I'm so sorry. Is she married? What happened?"

"She's not married, but apparently, she was sleeping with another guy while we were together. She got pregnant and then broke up with me."

"What? Are you sure? She doesn't seem like the type to do that."

"Who knows? All I know is that she broke up with me and then had a kid."

"So what now? Are you still gonna get her back?"

"I don't know, Charlie. On one hand, I still love her and all, but I don't know if I can trust her again."

"Can I be honest with you, Will?"

"Shoot."

"Look, you've been in love with this girl ever since you met her and even after she broke up with you. All these years, you still haven't gotten over her. She is still single and right there. Based on what you've told me, I'm sure there's a huge possibility that she might still have feelings for you. And I know. She cheated on you and had somebody else's kid, but you gotta let that go. Who knows? You might end up liking the kid. All I'm saying is that maybe give this a chance."

There was a long awkward silence between the two men. "Will? Hello?"

"I'm here."

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Yep."

"And?"

"I'll sleep on it."

Charlie smiled, knowing that Will sleeping on it meant that Will was going to listen to him.

"Goodnight, Will."

"Goodnight."

* * *

JJ had been traveling to multiple destinations from Las Vegas to Houston to Miami. She was all over the map. She was completely exhausted and was missing Henry, but truth be told, she didn't mind it because it kept her mind off of Will. She wanted to call him so many times, but managed to stop herself because she wouldn't have known what to say. She missed him so much that she had not realized how much of her feelings about him had come back up.

She opened her apartment door and dropped her keys in the bowl next to the coat rack and bags on the floor. It was an hour past Henry's bedtime so she expected some certain of silence, but that was not the case. She walked into Henry's room and found her son on the bed, still awake and chattering with his nanny.

"Hey, you two. Isn't one of you supposed to be asleep?"

Natalie got up from the bed, "I'm so sorry, JJ. We were at Cameron's birthday party today and Henry must have snuck a cookie while I wasn't looking."

JJ laughed, "It's alright. If anything, I get to kiss my son tonight without waking him up. Thank you. The last few days have been hectic."

"No problem. I'm about to head out soon."

JJ walked Natalie to the door and thanked her again. While she went back to Henry's room, Henry grabbed a book from his shelf and jumped back in bed.

"Story, Momma?"

"Sure, sweetie."

She read him at least two stories to ensure that he would fall asleep soundly. He had been having nightmares recently, which led to wetting the bed, but she had no idea what was triggering it. She hoped that this was going to be a short phase. She kissed her son goodnight before going to her room. Right as she was going to grab a shower, she heard the doorbell ring. She thought about who could be bothering her at this hour until she realized that one person who would. Will. She opened the door and saw him standing there. Even in his paler and skinny self, he still managed to look more handsom than ever.

"Will. I didn't think I'd hear from you ever again. What are you doing here?"

"I've been thinking about it. I still have feelings for you. And I know that I was extremely upset last time but I've put it past me," he said before taking in a deep breath. "What I'm saying is that I would like to give us a second chance. And I hoping you would like to as well."

JJ, completely taken aback and processing this slower than expected, did nothing but pulled him in and kissed him passionately. His lips still tasted the same after all these years, aggressive yet soft. They continued their kiss until one of them stopped for air.

"Wait wait wait," JJ said.

"I do something wrong?"

JJ grinned, "No, no you're not the issue. I am. We should go slow, Will. Just because our situation is not ideal and everything. I have to think about Henry, too. He and I are a package deal."

"Of course, you're right. We'll go slow."

Will leaned in for another kiss and turned towards the door.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, JJ."

JJ closed the door and then leaned on it, grinning about how everything had just changed. While Henry popped into her head, she pushed it off, deciding to remain optimistic about her new relationship.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone, here's a "happily ever after" moment, but trust me it's going to be short-lived. On another note, thank you for the recent reviews and subscriptions to my story! I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please review! Thanks! (Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its' characters.)


	5. Chapter 5

Since their kiss, Will had been stopping by at JJ's apartment almost every morning. He would bring two coffees for him and her and a breakfast pastry for Henry. He became fond of the boy. It had only been a short time but they had become accustomed to Will and Henry watching TV in the mornings while JJ would get ready for work. They still agreed to keep things slow but they had not told Henry much of anything. He only knew Will as his mom's "friend" that had been around everyday.

"Alright, you two. Ready?" JJ said, grabbing her phone and purse.

"Yep," Will said, picking Henry off of the couch onto the floor.

JJ then got an alert on her phone, "Damn it."

"What?" he asked with concern.

"Natalie has the flu. She can't watch Henry tonight. Now what? I don't know who's gonna be able to watch him last minute. And I leave in two hours. Uggghhh".

"I can watch him. I've got the next few days off," he offered.

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking. I'm offering."

JJ leaned in to kiss him, "You're amazing."

"I know I am."

"Alright, I will send you a list of everything. Allergies, bedtime routines, etc..."

"I got it, JJ."

"Are you sure? Cause you don't have to. I can find someone else."

"JJ, I got it," Will kissed her for reaffirmation.

"Thank you."

JJ went to work with a glowing smile, causing Reid and Prentiss to ask her about radiating self. She didn't want to them about Will, not yet. She just wanted to have him for himself before the team would profile him within a second. They were flying out to Illinois to catch "The Rifler", a serial killer running around with an assault rifle. She knew this was going to take at least two or three days so she decided to check in with Will every night after 8pm.

"Hey, is he alseep?"

"Yep, out like a light," Will said stepping out into the hallway.

"How was he?"

"He was good."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, we did some homework and then dinner. After that was bath time and then story time. Just like in the routine you sent me."

"Thank you, Will."

"What for?"

"You know what."

"This is nothing, honey. I would do it for you anytime any day."

Will let her go early so she could catch up on some sleep. The past few days with Henry had actually been great. He felt like things were going so well and he was learning so much Henry that he had originally hoped to learn. The only thing was that he had not mention a conversation he had with Henry to JJ.

* * *

_~Earlier today~_

_"Here you go, buddy," Will said, handing Henry a plate of cookies and milk. According to the list JJ sent over, Henry was allowed to have two cookies per day._

_"Thank you, Mr. Will."_

_"What are you drawing there?"_

_"Me and my mommy."_

_"Oh, well it looks great."_

_"Thank you." After a short pause, Henry asked another question, "Do you know my daddy?"_

_Will had no idea how to answer that to a four year old so all he said was "No, I don't."_

_"My mommy said he was a really nice man who was brave and smart."_

_"Oh well, he sounds like a good person."_

_"I hope I can meet him one day."_

* * *

Will felt bad about the fact how Henry was missing out on having a father. He remembered his father believing in tough love, never showing emotions, but deep down, he knew his father was proud of him. He only wished that for Henry. Being able to teach a son how to play football or drive a car was something every father should teach to their son.

JJ came home a few days later, excited to kiss her now two favorite men in the world. Arriving at the door, she pulled Will in for a passionate kiss, dropping her bags on the ground.

"Well, I missed you too, darling," Will said.

She gave him another kiss, "Thank you."

"I told you already. You don't have to thank me."

"It's just good that I don't have to worry about Henry as much."

Will noticed this look of concern on her, pulling her closer to him, he asked, "Hey, what's wrong?"

JJ put her arms on his and told him, "The DOD has been trying to push me into the transfer. It seems that the higher-ups really want me and it's just a matter of time before I'm forced to go."

"So why not save them the trouble?"

"Because. I already have a job. And there's a chance Hotch can still get them to back off."

"It is your decision and they can't make you do anything you don't want to do."

JJ smiled at his support, kissing one more time before breaking away from his arms.

I'm going to make breakfast. Why don't you go surprise him?" Will said.

JJ walked to Henry's room and gently shook the boy awake.

"Good morning, sweetie."

Henry briefly opened his eyes and saw a figure that closely resembled his mother. "Mommy!"

"Well, hi sweetheart. Did you have fun with Mr. Will?"

"Yeah, we played cars and he told me a bedtime story and even ate pizza."

"Wow, it sounds like you had fun."

"Yeah!"

JJ was so happy that Henry got along with Will. She never was a big fan of dating after she had Henry, afraid of mixing two separate parts of life together. And WIll was amazing. Never before had any of her boyfriends ever offered to watch him, but to be fair, there were really only one guy who she was serious with. JJ only hoped that things would continue to stay the way it was before she told Will about Henry.

* * *

**A/N:** Hi everyone, I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter. Please review! Thanks! (Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its' characters.)


	6. Chapter 6

Will and JJ had been together for six months now and both of them couldn't be any happier. They had developed a routine where even Henry could wake up to the idea of having two parents. He had gotten used to having Will come live with them permanently. Things just felt right. It was only a week ago that JJ accidentally slipped out the "I love you" to Will while kissing him goodbye and he couldn't be happier. Their relationship had reached a new level that neither of them had expected.

JJ was working on a case in South Carolina when she got a call from Will at 7pm.

"Hey, Will. Everything alright?"

"JJ, we're at the hospital. It's Henry"

"Wait, what? Is he okay?"

"Yeah, the doctor said he had a high fever and prescribed Ibuprofen for him to take. He's sleeping right now. I'm about to sign the discharge papers and take him home."

"Okay. I will be on the next flight out."

"JJ, you don't have to do that. He's fine."

"Will, I'm coming home. I'll see you soon."

JJ immediately went to go talk to Hotch. He said that he was fine with it but she might not make it out on time due to weather conditions. The next earliest flight possible was in two days. She was glad Will was there to take care of Henry, but she wanted to be there too. Her baby was suffering and she couldn't help him. These were the moments where she felt like a bad mother and didn't deserve to have an amazing and sweet boy like Henry.

She managed to get a flight out a day earlier. She drove through the streets of DC like a mad woman, desperate to see her baby boy. She could barely get the key to open the door. She ran to Henry's room, only to find both Henry and Will asleep in the twin-sized boy. Her heart melted in that moment, enjoying the fact that she could see both father and son together like this. Will then jolted awake, finding his girlfriend standing at the door.

"Hey cher," he said in a hushed voice.

"Hey," she whispered.

Will then quietly got off the bed as to not wake the boy after an hour of him restless. "There's some leftover lasagna in the fridge. You should go eat."

"Not yet. I just want to stay here." JJ leaned in for a kiss and then hugged him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"You saved his life."

"No, the doctor did. I just assisted."

"Well, either way, I love you." She kissed him again and held his hand.

She went off into the kitchen to find some food while Will watched her walk away. She had no idea how much he loved her. What she didn't know was that hours before Henry was hospitalized, he was home on his laptop, looking at engagement rings.

* * *

**A/N**: Hey all, I know that this was a really short chapter but I didn't know how else to tie in the ending. I promise the next chapter will be a game-changer. I also want to thank you all for the recent reviews and to everyone who recently subscribed to my story. I appreciate all of the support. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please review! (Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its' characters.)


	7. Chapter 7

Tonight was the night. Weeks after searching for the perfect engagement ring for JJ, Will had to plead with the host of JJ's favorite restaurant, _Penn Ar Roch_, to reserve a table. He was on the phone with the guy for two hours, resulting in Will clearing all of his speeding tickets in exchange for a table. His plan was to have a nice romantic dinner, have a nice walk around the park near her house and then pop the question whenever the moment seemed perfect.

"JJ, are you ready?" he shouted down the hall.

"Almost!"

He kept glancing at the watch, hoping she was going to be done soon if they were going to make it to their reservation. Henry was with Uncle Spencer and Aunt Penelope tonight. He had briefly asked Henry about the possibility of his stay becoming more permanent, and the boy did not seem to mind or care, which was a check in his book. Will was so nervous that his shirt was starting to smell like a gym shirt.

"Okay, ready," she said walking down the hallway in a beautiful violet dress with a small black handbag. He stood in awe of her, amazed that he was going to propose to such an amazing woman. "Will?"

"Yeah, alright. Let's go." JJ took his arm and proceeded out the door.

They had a wonderful dinner, with JJ ordering the ratatouille and Will the duck confit. After their delicious and over expensive meal, Will took her on a romantic walk at the park. The park was decorated necklace lights hanging around the lamp posts.

"God, Will! I haven't had a night out like this in years!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"Yes, I am."

"And I have one more thing that might just make your night even better."

"What?"

Will stopped their walk and took JJ by her arms.

"JJ, I never stopped loving you even after we broke up. I love you and Henry so much. You guys are it for me. JJ, I have never felt this strongly about anyone else but you," Will said as he bent down on one knee. He pulled the ring out of his pocket, "Jennifer Jareau, will you marry me?"

"Will, I don't know what to say."

"Say yes!"

JJ pulled him off the ground, "Will, you know that I love you. And I want this. So very very much. But I can't."

"JJ, why not? We are meant to be together."

"Because when I tell you the reason why, you probably won't want to talk to me, much less marry me," JJ said as tears started forming in her eyes and then slowly sliding down.

Will took her hands, "JJ, just tell me. Whatever it is, we can deal with it together."

JJ gulped and finally said the truth that would forever change things between her and Will, "You are Henry's father."

Will let go of her hands, "What?"

"I'm so sorry, Will. I couldn't go through with this, not without you knowing the truth."

"How could you, JJ? How could you let me miss four years of my son's life?" he said furiously. Anger was now fuming out of him. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because what we had before was nothing but a fling. It wasn't meant for a long-term relationship. I didn't think you wanted to be a father with someone you had only know for a year."

"Well when did we have that discussion? If I remember correctly, we had said 'I love you'. Normally, when people say 'I love you', that means they're all in."

"Look, I didn't know how serious you were. Especially when you moved up here. How was I to know if you were going to stick around? Henry needs to have stability in his life."

"What Henry needed was a father who was there to see his first smile and his first word and his first steps. That's what he needed!"

"I'm sorry, Will. I know that I should have told you earlier but it was just easier to do this without it affecting anyone else."

"Guess what, JJ? It did affect me," Will took a step back to breathe. "I think we need a break. So I am just going to come by tomorrow and spend time with my son." He walked away from her, leaving her standing in the middle of the park.

JJ held her face in her hands, watching as the love of her life walking away from her. She didn't know if things would ever be good again. Feeling the need to see her son, she drove over to Penelope's house and picked him up. She had asked JJ how the date went and all JJ said was that it went great, deciding to tell her what happened tomorrow. She put her son to bed and held him in her arms for awhile until Henry said that she was holding him too tight.

"Where's Mr. Will?" he asked.

"He, uhh, went home."

"Why, sweetheart? Did you need something?"

"No, he usually comes tuck me in too."

"Well, he just wasn't feeling good today. But he's coming by tomorrow to come play with you while Mommy goes to work."

"Yay! He's so fun."

JJ could feel the tears coming back again. She knew that Will would make her tell Henry that he was Henry's father, but she didn't know how to. How could she explain to a four year old that his father was suddenly now the man that had been taking care of him for the past year? In just one hour, she had managed to lose the love of her life because she thought she was protecting both herself and her son. Will wasn't the type to take legal action, but this was his son that they were talking about. She had only wished that things weren't as confusing as it was right now.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone. I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter. I was going to leave you with a cliffhanger, but it seemed kinda short and I wanted to finish it. Thanks again for the recent reviews! (Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its' characters.)


	8. Chapter 8

_~ 12 Hours Earlier ~_

Will walked away from the park, feeling nothing but hurt and betrayal. How could JJ not tell him that Henry was his son, knowing that he was with his son every single day and could have possibly mentioned it? Will needed a drink so he drove to the cop bar that he and his coworkers generally hung out at. He sat at the bar, listening to some old rock song while nursing a scotch on the rocks. He sat there for twenty minutes before a lady came up behind him.

"You alone tonight?" she asked leaning into his neck.

"I'm not interested," he said roughly.

"You sure? You look like you don't want to be alone."

Will finished his scotch and got off the stool, "You know what? I changed my mind." He grabbed her and kissed her passionately before leaving the bar and heading back to her place.

* * *

Will woke up with a slight headache and blurred vision, not aware of the bedroom where he was in. He saw his clothes flung all over the floor and checked underneath the blanket to see that he was indeed naked. He slapped his face and then turned to his left side. The girl that he apparently slept with was still fast asleep. He got off the bed and quickly put his clothes.

"Where you going?"

"Listen, last night was a mistake. Just forget that this ever happened."

"But it did," the woman said walking her naked self towards him.

Will stepped back, "No, it didn't. I have a girlfriend, alright?"

"Fine whatever," she said, leaving him in her bedroom.

Will quickly got dressed and left the woman's apartment. He grabbed a taxi back to his place which was essentially bare because he had moved most of his belongings to JJ's place. He noticed that he had twenty minutes before he had to be at JJ's house to spend time with his son. So he grabbed a cup of coffee to give him a jolt. He drove over to JJs' and then opted to ring the doorbell instead of using his key.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"You know you still live here right? You don't have to ring the doorbell."

"JJ, look. I think that we should just go back to before. We need some time apart."

"Will, I'm sorry. But please. Do you still love me?"

He sighed, "Of course, I do. But you betrayed my trust. You waited almost five years before telling me that I had a son. Wait – no, you lied and told me that Henry was somebody else's kid and waited months to tell me the truth."

JJ was about to argue back until she heard Henry running towards the door.

"Mr. Wil!"

JJ shot him a glare meaning that they were going to continue this later. Will then squatted down to Henry's height, "Hey buddy. Ready for some fun, today?"

"Yes!"

JJ then spoke up, "Alright, sweetheart. I've got to get to work, but Mr. Will is going to be with you. Okay?"

The boy nodded.

"Alright, give me a kiss." Henry leaned in and hugged his mom while giving her a kiss.

Will felt bad about the way they left things. He could see her bloodshot eyes and notice how much she had been crying the night before. And if he had to, he would have admitted that things did just get a little out of hand. He normally would have been calm and more reserved than JJ but this time was different.

Will took Henry out for most of the day. He took him to the Smithsonian to see the dinosaur exhibits and then a nice walk in the park, ending in soccer and ice cream. By 3 in the afternoon, Henry was wiped out and exhausted. Will made the executive decision to have a father-son nap time because he, too, was tired from going place to place. They came home ten minutes later, Will carefully setting Henry down on his bed and him collapsing on the couch.

An hour later, Will woke up from his phone buzzing. It was a text from JJ.

"Hey, we got called in for a case. Can you stay with Henry for a few days?"

"Sure."

"I love you."

They normally ended every conversation with "I love you" since given their jobs, it was a possibility that they might never see each other again. But Will couldn't find it in himself to text back those very words. It was just too much. It was only less than twenty-four hours ago that he found out that he had a son.

Four days later, JJ came home and saw Will sitting on the couch, waiting for her. Sadness appeared upon her face and she felt like crying again after fighting so hard not to cry in front of the team days before. Spencer and Emily had asked if she was alright and she couldn't say anything because she had not even told them about Will and Henry and it would just take too much time to say everything.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Henry and I made you some dinner. It's on the counter."

"Thanks."

After a long pause, JJ spoke up, "We should talk."

"We should."

JJ turned her entire body towards him, "I miss you a lot. Can we just go back to normal? I mean, what is the difference? If anything, this makes us more of a family more than ever."

"JJ, the difference is that you lied to me. I've missed out on so much because of you."

JJ sighed and put her hands over her head, "So what now?"

"I guess we go back to being friends. For now."

"Were we ever 'friends' in the first place?" JJ smirked.

"No, I guess not," Will snickered.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey all, I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Trust me, this will recieve a happy ending. Thank you for all the reviews and subscriptions! I appreciate it! Thanks! (Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its' characters.)


	9. Chapter 9

It had been six months since their "breakup". The team noticed how focused JJ had been, staying after hours to finish paperwork. They would often go out and invite her, but every time she declined. She just wanted to work, to have something distract her from Will. For the past couple of months, she and Will had been doing better. They still acted like a normal couple/parents to Henry. However, the second the boy was away, they would go back to being distant towards each other. There was a moment a month ago where they were playing with Henry and it led to Will being on top of JJ. For a second, it felt like old times again until Will realize that they were no longer a couple. JJ couldn't fault him for not trusting her again but she missed him so much. They had not even told Henry that he was his father. Will had been pushing for this for weeks, but JJ wanted to wait.

This morning, JJ got called in about a bunch of missing kids in Quantico. Fortunately for her, that meant she got to go home tonight to tuck in her son. After a long day of chasing down leads, JJ stopped by the pharmacy to get Henry his cold medicine. He came home from school the day before complaining of a stomach ache and then a high fever. Will had taken him to the doctor and did not let JJ know until she had come home later that night.

"Henry's in bed earlier than usual," she said walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah, he had a stomachache and a fever so I took him to the doctor."

"What? Will, why didn't you tell me?"

"What for? You wouldn't have been able to do anything. He's fine. All he need is some medication and rest."

"You still should have told me, Will."

"Like you should have told me he was my son?"

JJ was so angry that she had barely registered that last part, "Excuse me?"

"You don't think I can take care of him, do you?"

"What? Of course, I do! But that's not the issue. You still should have told me."

"Look, there's no sense in arguing. So, I'm sorry that I didn't let you know."

"I'm sorry, too. I'm just gonna go off to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

JJ walked away from him, too tired to keep talking with him. Sometimes it was just too much work to try to argue with him.

After two days, JJ and her team finally had a lead to take down the Unsub. She had cornered him in an alley, both fighting for the gun. She tried her best to get the gun but, in the end, she was too slow. The Unsub shot her in the stomach just before Morgan could shoot him.

She was lying on the ground with Morgan pressing on her wound, "Call Will." She was gasping for air as Hotch called an ambulance and saw Prentiss dialing on her phone. She then collapsed and blacked out.

* * *

Will was working a double shift when he got the call.

"Lamontagne."

"Will! It's Emily. JJ's been shot."

"What? What happened? I'm coming right away."

"Just meet us at the hospital."

Will sprinted out of the precinct and hopped in his car. He drove as fast as he could, running multiple red lights. As soon as he got to the hospital, he saw JJ on the gurney moving into the building. He quickly ran to be with her.

"JJ, I'm here."

"Will," JJ said reaching for his hand.

Will took her hand and kissed it, "Don't worry, you're going to be fine. Okay?"

"Henry," she said gasping for air.

"Don't worry about him. You're gonna be alright."

They wheeled her off into the OR and he turned around to see the entire team standing behind him. The team one by one walked towards him to give a hug or a pat on the should, or in Hotch's case, a handshake. Will stood against the wall, praying that JJ was going to make it.

Two hours later, Will was walking back and forth in front of the waiting room, hoping that there was some sort of new update. Everyone else had left except Emily. She didn't want to leave Will in the time he needed someone most. She came back from the vending machines, handing Will a cup of coffee and they then sat down to talk.

"She's gonna be alright," Emily said.

"She's a strong woman. A strong woman who drives me crazy sometimes," he smirked.

"Something troubling you on the relationship end?"

Will wasn't sure if JJ had told the team anything about the relationship but he figured she must have told Emily everything. "I just don't know how I could forgive her for not telling about Henry. I'm trying but some days it just seen how much I've missed out on." Will turned to look towards Emily for a response but he was surprised to see the look on her face, "You didn't know?"

Emily then took a moment to form a response, "We all had a slight inkling that you might have been Henry's father but we never said anything to her."

"Well, why not?"

"She seemed so intent on raising him on her own, not wanting to complicate matters for the father. We knew you guys got back together a couple of months but lately, I don't know, JJ just seemed so distracted. She was more focused and always stayed after work to finish paperwork even though she was always the first to leave."

"I was gonna marry her. And then she told me everything and we broke up. And now, I don't even know where we're at. If I had never came up here to win her back, I might have never gotten to meet my son."

"I know this is none of my business but I think that all JJ ever wanted was to protect you. She didn't want you to have this huge responsibility that you never asked for. Yeah, she should have told you but look where we're at. Henry has two parents who love him and you both are happier than before if you had not came to DC."

Will nodded, not knowing how to respond. Everything she had said was true. At some point, Will just stopped being so angry. He was now confused. How could they go back to before? How could he trust her again? He shaked away at those thoughts, only focusing on JJ's surgery, hoping that she would make it so he could then think about their relationship.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey all, I'm sorry for the late post. I've just been lacking motivation this story. But I think there will be a few more chapters before this ends. Anyway, thank you for the reviews. (Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or its' characters.)


	10. Chapter 10

It was another four hours before the doctor came out of surgery. Will and Emily jumped out of their seats and walked towards the doctor.

"Agent Jareau lost a lot of blood but she's been stabilized."

Will let out his breath and turned to hug Emily. "Thank you, Doctor. When can I see her?"

"She'll be out soon and then you can see her."

Will was so relieved that tears arose his eyes. He was just glad he had not lost JJ yet. The nurses moved her to her room and Will sat next to her for the next twenty-four hours.

The doctor said that it would be a few days before JJ could fully regain conscious. Her body needed to recover from the trauma she experienced. Will stayed by her side with the exception of going home to check on Henry. As far as the little boy knew, his mom got hurt and wouldn't come home for a little bit. Will held JJ's hand while praying that she would be wake up soon so he could see her beautiful eyes and glowing smile.

After the second day, Will was getting restless. He kept changing his position on the chair so he could get a quick nap. He squeezed JJ's hand and for a second, he felt her squeeze back. His eyes opened wide, wondering if he had just imagined that she did it. Then he noticed her eyes fluttering as if she was trying to wake up.

"JJ, it's me Will. Wake up. C'mon sweetheart."

Her eyelids started to slowly lift and then he saw her looking around at her surroundings.

"You're in the hospital. You got shot, remember?"

She nodded. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

"Henry?", she croaked out.

"He's fine. Penelope and Reid are watching him." Will kissed her hands and put his hand on her head. "You're alright."

JJ nodded and they stayed like that, staying in each other's eyes. In that moment, JJ knew that Will had forgiven her for everything and Will knew that he had his family back together again. Over the course of the next few days, JJ was discharged from the hospital with one month of medical leave. That meant that Will would be home with her and Henry, taking care of the both of them. This gave the couple time to regain their footing and talk about their relationship.

It was a few days before JJ had to go back to work when the Lamontagne family decided to spend the day at the beach. As the sun was setting, Will was packing up the car with the beach toys and the unwanted sand scattered all over the trunk. He headed back to where JJ and Henry were standing.

"Alright, are we ready?" JJ asked.

"Hold on. We still got one more thing," Will said with his hands on top of Henry's shoulders.

"What?" she said smiling.

"Jennifer Jareau, you and Henry are the two most important people in my life. And if anything in the past month has shown, it's that I do not want to lose you again. Henry?" Henry pulled out a ring out of his pocket and gave it to his dad. Will got down on one knee, "Will you marry me?"

JJ, with tears sliding down her face, "Yes!" She leaned in and kissed Will as passionately as she could.

"Yay!" Henry said clapping his hands. JJ released Will and picked up Henry, giving him kisses. They all then turned around to watch the sunset as Will leaned in to give her another kiss. JJ was glad that this was the beginning of the new chapter of their lives.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey everyone. I am so sorry for the late post but I sort of lost motivation and I've been busy lately. I was thinking of ending this story but if you have any requests, please PM me or give me a review. Thank you all for reading!


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